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homerfreak2011

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She awoke around midnight to the soft sound of Ben’s breathing. Despite the time, she wasn’t tired anymore and was rather ready to get up. She sat up, pulling away from Ben. His breaths paused, but then continued as she got off the bed. Good, she hadn’t woken him. She looked back at him from the doorframe, smiling at his cuteness. He was sprawled out on his side of the bed, now clutching a pillow instead of her. It was adorable.

Julia had to know if he was telling the truth. Was she really dead? If so, what if she was put in Quarantine? She had only known Ben a week, but she wasn’t ready to lose him… She didn’t wanna be alone in this strange new life. She had to know whether or not he was telling the truth…

She calmly made her way to the glass doors that led to the balcony. “This is the only way to test it…” Julia thought to herself. “It’s the only way I’ll know…” She slipped out the doors and stood on the balcony. The blare of horns below startled her. It had been so quiet in the tiny apartment.

She pulled a chair from the patio set and stood up in it, then moved to the railing of the balcony. The only thing she had to keep from falling were the sides of the building. She clutched one wall, though, unsure of whether or not this was wise. If he was lying, she would fall to her death, splattered on the highway… but if he was telling the truth…

Julia took a deep breath, slowly letting go of the wall, balancing herself on the rail. She waited for her breathing to steady, then took a step forward…

“JULIA!” Ben’s strong hands grasped her hips, jerking her backward into his arms. “Julia, what the hell are you doing?!”

“Ben!” She was surprised by how scared her voice sounded. “Ben… I thought you were sleeping…”

“So you were gonna jump off the fucking balcony?!” His eyes were filled with disappointment. “Julie… Christ…”

“You said I was dead!” She kicked her feet a little, indicating that she wanted down. He put her down gently in the patio chair she had stood on. “You said I was dead, damn it! If I’m dead, what the hell’s it matter?!”

He knelt down in front of the patio chair. “Jewel…”

She hated it when he knelt down. That made being mad at him even harder, and he knew it. He seemed to always kneel down in front of her if he wanted her to listen to him.

“Julie… You can’t be doing things like that…”

“Why?!”

His eyes dimmed and he looked down, away from her. “Cause that’s the quickest way to get to Quarantine.”

“What…?”

“Here, you can’t commit suicide… so if you make an attempt, you wind up in Quarantine with the rest of the weak. You can’t be weak, Julie… you can’t be.”

“Why? What would it matter anyway…?” She knew she didn’t wanna go, but she wanted to see what his explanation would be.

“Cause, Jewel… I… I need you.”

“You what?” She couldn’t believe the words he had just said. HIM needing HER? Impossible! Ben was strong… he was the one that had been protecting her from the powers that would put her in Quarantine… he had been taking care of her… And now he said he needed her?

“I need you. I’ve never been a help to anybody… And… well, before you came… I was about to check into Quarantine myself.”

“Ben…” She got on her knees in front of him so they were eye level and looked into those soft, blue eyes. “Why would you do that?”

“I was going crazy… I was all alone. My family and friends are back home, alive, and I don’t know anybody here. I lived in this tiny apartment, going to a job I hated every day with people I can’t stand… For what? For an eternity of wondering ‘what if’? It just wasn’t worth it… The day I met you on the street, that was the day I was going to do it. I was just gonna come home and, well, jump, actually. Like you were about to. I was tired of this and was going to willingly go to Quarantine… Then I met you.

Julie, you make me happy. You make me very happy… and I just…” His voice cracked slightly and she could tell he was tearing up. “I don’t wanna lose you.”

“Oh, Benny…” She put her arms around his neck, holding his warm body against hers. “I wasn’t trying to leave you…” She felt his hands on her back, returning the hug.

He sighed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand while he hugged her. “I’m in love with you. There’s no doubt about it.” He paused. “Please, don’t leave me. Not now that I’ve found you…”

She hugged him closer. “I won’t… I’m sorry.”

He stroked her hair gently. “Come inside, okay? You’re gonna get sick out here.” Julia instantly realized how cold she was, and let him take her in. He locked the glass door as she walked to the couch. “What were you trying to prove anyway?”

She looked down, ashamed at her actions. Would he be mad that she didn’t completely trust what he said? Would he want her to leave? Would he send her to Quarantine? “I… wanted to see if I was really dead…”

He looked hurt. “You don’t believe me?”

“Well…” She instantly tried to justify her reasoning. “I mean, I did believe you. So I thought ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’… I wanted to see what happened if I wouldn’t die…”

He wrapped his arms around her. “Well… now you know…”

“Why is it like that?”

“Cause, sweetheart… if it wasn’t, every dead person would be jumping from buildings or walking out in front of cars, or shooting each other… this keeps the dead fairly calm… more so than the living.” He smiled slightly. “With the exception of Quarantine, it’s actually safer here. And now you’re here…” He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

She, startled, pulled away from him. “W-what are you doing?!”

He pulled back, a hurt look on his face. “I--… I’m… I’m sorry…” He looked down, his cheeks turning pink.

She paused, realizing how much she wanted that kiss and how sorry she was that she interrupted it. “Benny…” She grabbed his shirt collar and jerked him forward, kissing his lips harder than he had hers. He instantly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as they kissed. “I love you, Benny.”

He smiled. “I love you too, Julie.” He softly kissed her neck. “Will you be my girl?”

“Of course I’ll be your girl…” She hugged his neck. And just like that, this sweet talkin cutie was hers… I mean, he was dead, but he was still hers.

“Angel?” He kissed her neck again, nuzzling his nose against it.

“Hmm?”

“Will you come back to bed with me?” He smiled a small persuasive smile. “Please?”

She nodded, also smiling. He took her hand and pulled her back to the bedroom. By the time they got the door closed, he already had her thrown on top of the bed. He crawled on top of her and started kissing her collarbone. She ran her fingers up through his hair, twisting it around her fingers.

“I love you, Benny.”

“I love you too, Jewel.” He kissed her lips tenderly. She loved the softness that came with each kiss. It made her fall deeper and deeper in love with him. He playfully, but tenderly removed her clothes, kissing her as he did the same with his own. Her eyes locked into his…

* * * * * * * * * *

Ben kissed behind her ear, holding her tighter against him. The two were spooning, letting their still-naked bodies rest after such ‘activity’. He squeezed his arms around her middle as her breathing slowed. “I love you.” He kissed her bare shoulder. “You know that?” She nodded silently. He laid her down, pinning her underneath him. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” She half-smiled up at him, but it didn’t ease his curiosity.

“Julie, what is it? Did I do something wrong?” She shook her head. “What, then?”

“It’s just strange… Being in love and all.”

He kissed her. “Good strange or bad strange?”

“Good strange.” She smiled. He hugged her, keeping her warm body against his. She kissed him. “Um…” Her cheeks went red. “We didn’t use a…”

“We don’t have to. It doesn’t matter here. You can’t get pregnant.”

She felt her heart drop. No kids? “What…?”

He frowned sympathetically. “You’re dead, sweetheart… you can’t get pregnant.”

“No kids? Ever?”

“I didn’t say no kids. Just no pregnancies. Sweetheart, kids die too. And when they do, they have to have somewhere to go, right? So we have orphanages just like they do in life. If you want a kid, you go get one… I know that sounds bad, but that’s basically how it is. If you wanted a baby, that’s how you would go about it.”

“Then why didn’t you get one? You know, to keep you company.”

“Cause for one, only a couple can take a kid. And for two, well, I wouldn’t know what age to get… cause, baby, they don’t age either. And I don’t know if I could stand changing diapers for the rest of eternity… literally.”

She nodded, not questioning the strangeness of this world anymore. “Would you ever consider getting one though?”

He shrugged. “I guess. I mean, it would depend who I was getting one with, and the situation at the time… We still have money here and we still have hard times… That doesn’t change.” He waved away the thought, getting up to begin getting redressed. “Anyway, you’ve still got a story to tell me, don’t you?”

She reluctantly nodded, doing the same, and let him lead her to the living room, sitting with him on the couch. “How? I mean, I know how to tell a story, but how do I do it right? So I don’t go to Quarantine or whatever?”

“Baby, please,” He took both of her hands, squeezing them. “Take this seriously. Just… start the first story that comes to mind, alright? Give me your age, the place, etcetera, and, well… I’ll help you from there.”

“Promise?” She squeezed his hands in return.

“I promise.”

“Well… I was six years old… back home…”